


In Sickness and In Health

by msrogersstark



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: M/M, pre-Cherik
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-13
Updated: 2013-05-28
Packaged: 2017-11-25 06:56:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/636295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msrogersstark/pseuds/msrogersstark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erik cares very deeply for his sister. But when something goes wrong it's up to Charles to pick up the pieces.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Problem

**Author's Note:**

> -Non Powers  
> Erik's sister is an original character.

Erik Lehnsherr was not known to be caring. He was cold, harsh and killed for fun. But even the coldest people always care for someone. And that someone was Hannah. She was his only remaining family member but they never left each other’s side. His sister was y ounger than him, by lots of years, 15 to be precise. Erik could remember coming home from school, seeing this fumbling toddler run to him as he came in. It would erase all his bad thoughts. As they grew up, age began to mean nothing and they became inseparable. 

Until one night, Erik received a call from his friend Charles. Erik and Charles had started a foster home of sorts for kids that were different, just like them. The only problem was it was all the way in England. Often, the help that they’d hired wasn’t the best of leaders and they both had to take a trip to England. 

“Hello?” Erik said into his phone  
“Hi it’s Charles, we’ve got a situation. Plane leaves in 1 hour” 

Erik put down the phone with a sigh. Hannah came into the room, putting her hand on his shoulder.  
“Another trip?” She asked  
Erik nodded slowly “I have to go. Charles sounded urgent”  
Hannah smiled slightly “Charles always sounds urgent. But go”  
Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he ran upstairs to pack.

As soon as the plane landed in England, Erik’s phone was up to his ear calling Hannah.  
She picked up with a laugh “ Erik you just landed. I’m ok”  
Erik sighed “Sorry”  
He could hear her smile through the phone “I’ll call tonight. Bye”

The job at the foster home was big. Some kids were running away or at least threatening to. They’d even chased away one of the helpers so they had to hire a new one too. Erik’s mind wasn’t focused. He watched Charles work his magic with the kids and thought about Hannah. He scolded himself for being so worried. She was 16 now she knew how to take care of herself. 

Charles walked over around lunch.  
“Erik” His voice was laced with worry  
“Yes?” Erik frowned at his friend  
“Something’s on your mind” He placed a hand on Erik’s shoulder  
“I’m fine” Erik replied a bit sharply  
Charles sighed and said “Hannah is ok Erik. She’s a strong girl”  
“I know” Erik’s voice was softer than Charles had ever heard it “She’s growing up”  
“It’s hard isn’t it?” Charles agreed, looking up at Erik “Raven’s so independent. She doesn’t need me anymore.”  
“Charles, our sisters will always need us. That is inevitable.”  
Charles nodded and gave his friend a quick hug “Unfortunately these little kids aren’t growing up fast enough. Come and help me make them eat food”  
Erik followed Charles smiling.

 

When Erik called that night, Hannah could barely pick up the phone.  
“Hello?” She said weakly  
“Hannah. What’s wrong?” Erik’s voice sounded panicked  
“I have the flu” Hannah sighed and coughed  
“Aww sweetie”  
“I’m ok Erik. It’s not too bad”  
“Where are you?”  
“On the bathroom floor” Hannah paused to cough again  
“Can you get up?” Erik asked  
“Yes. But I plan on sleeping here”  
“Do you want me to come home?” Erik reasoned, his caught Charles’s concerned gaze out of the corner of his eye.  
“I’m fine Erik. Don’t worry yourself.”  
“Ok” Erik didn’t sound very sure but he agreed  
“Now I love you. Go to bed and don’t worry about me”  
“Love you too. Sleep well” Erik hung up and sighed.

 

Erik was so preoccupied with the kids the next 2 days that he couldn’t find time to call Hannah at all during the day. And by the time he was done with the kids Charles forced him to sleep. 

About 4 days after he’d last talked to Hannah Erik got a phone call. From Raven.  
“Yes?” Erik had only a small bit of tolerance for her  
“I’m at your house” She replied  
“Don’t break anything,” Erik snapped  
“I’m actually standing here beside your sister”  
“How is she?” Erik asked, feeling a little frustrated with himself for not calling.  
“Unconscious” Raven replied.  
Erik dropped the phone.  
Charles was at his side in seconds, snatching up the phone and helping Erik to sit down.  
“What’s going on Raven?” Charles’s voice filled the phone  
“Erik’s sister is passed out on the floor”  
“Did you call 911?” Charles asked, sitting down beside Erik.  
“Of course I did Charles, I’m not 3.”  
“Go with her to the hospital, Erik and I will be there as soon as we can”  
Raven hung up the phone and Charles glanced at Erik.  
His friend was sweating like crazy and his eyes looked scared.  
“Erik” Charles warned “Calm down before you break something”  
Erik took a shaky breath “How do we get home?”  
“We fly. Same way we got here”

 

By the time Erik and Charles landed in California, Hannah had woken up. Erik was practically climbing up the elevator shaft when Charles caught up to him.  
“Calm down Erik!” Charles said sternly, grabbing Erik’s shirt and pulling him towards the stairs. “She’s only on floor 3, we can walk.”

Erik let Charles lead her down the hallway towards the room. Erik wrenched open the door and let out a breath.  
Hannah was sitting up, watching some kind of sitcom on the little TV hanging from the ceiling. Wires were hooked up to almost every visible place. Erik slid into a chair and Charles hovered in the doorway.  
“Hi!” Hannah said  
There was a silence as Erik opened and closed his mouth multiple times before letting Charles speak.  
“Your brother is very worried” Charles managed, stepping farther into the room.  
“I’m sorry Erik” Hannah pleaded, “I didn’t know I was that sick”  
Erik just nodded and looked at the floor.  
“Do you mind if I take him out for a few minutes Hannah?” Charles asked  
“Of course”  
Charles pulled Erik out into the hallway.  
“You need to talk to her” Charles said, “She’s worried”  
“I can’t!” Erik screamed, “This is all my fault”  
Charles’s eyes darkened “This is not your fault. This is no one’s fault. Hear me?”  
Erik was taken aback “Y-yes”  
“Good. Now lets go inside”  
Charles left Erik in the room and went to find some coffee.

When Charles got back, Erik was flipping through a tabloid magazine, Hannah was asleep and Charles knew something was wrong. He walked in quietly, sliding into the chair beside Erik’s.  
“Hey” Charles’s voice was soft “What’s on your mind?”  
“She got worse again. Fell asleep as I was talking. They don’t know why”  
“Erik I’m sure…” Charles trailed off. For once he wasn’t sure.  
Erik looked like one of the little children that they cared for. Charles was privileged to know this other side of Erik. But it was rarely there. His green eyes were searching for something. Something to grab onto. And Charles would have to be just that. 

The next few days were rough, it seemed like just when Hannah was at the best she’d been for a while, she’d just drop back down again. And Erik hadn’t slept in 4 days. He was living off coffee. And frankly so was Charles. 

A week later, Hannah’s heart stopped. Just like that. They’d warned him that she might not make it. She’d been weak for a while and Erik and Charles had said Goodbye to her the night before. But even with that, the moment the heart monitor showed a straight line, Erik was on his feet and running. White clouded his vision, his heart pounded and he had no idea where he was going, but he didn’t stop. He only stopped when a hand closed around his wrist and spun him around. They didn’t talk, didn’t move until Erik’s vision had cleared. When Erik finally looked up, he saw Charles. But it was a different Charles then he had ever seen before. This Charles looked like he was falling apart. Charles pulled him into a hug, tighter than ever and murmured against Erik’s chest.  
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry” He didn’t stop until Erik gently placed a hand over Charles’s mouth and said, “I have to see her again Charles”  
Charles pulled away slightly from Erik “ I read somewhere once…” But Erik cut him off “ I don’t care what you read she’s gone!”  
Charles sighed, “If you go in there, the last memory you’ll have her is of her dead body Erik. That’s not what you want.”  
Erik sighed, “ Are you sure?”  
“Positive”  
Erik just sank to the floor, like his body couldn’t hold his weight anymore. Charles watched the tears spill from his friend’s eyes. Erik looked broken and his green eyes had lost their shine.  
Charles slid down the wall beside him. He pulled Erik’s head into his lap and stroked his hair. He wouldn’t let Erik fall, wouldn’t let him sink.


	2. The Funeral

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles and Erik attend Hannah's funeral.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are a few new characters here.  
> There are two songs mentioned here. The first, Gartan Mother's Lullaby, had different lyrics when I sang it. But the link here is the song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozcR47vy5qw  
> The second one is The Poet sings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkdgFvV-deU

Charles was busy all week. The funeral had to be planned and it was obvious Erik wasn’t the one who was going to do it. He was almost glad for it. It distracted himself from his new attraction to Erik. Charles wasn’t sure which part he loved most about Erik. 

The day of the funeral arrived much faster than either of them had bargained for. They hadn’t spent much money on any of the services. Not many people had know Hannah Lehnsherr. However, when they showed up, the auditorium was nearly full. Charles recognized most of the hospital staff that had been around during their time there. He also saw Raven and her boyfriend Hank. Angel, one of their former students at the foster home was also there with another boy, Alex, Charles remembered. He wasn’t sure if he knew anyone else, his mind was preoccupied on someone else. Erik

Erik had dressed in his best suit and read of his Eulogy multiple times but he was pacing. In tears.   
Charles rushed into the room.   
“We’re on in 5” His voice softened as he saw Erik’s face.   
Walking over, Charles was starting to think that this funeral thing wasn’t the best idea after all. Maybe cremation would have been a better option.   
He reached Erik’s side and spun Erik to face him. Erik’s breathing was rough and he was struggling to stand.   
Charles helped him to the nearest seat and knelt down in front of him.   
“Look at me” Charles said, sternly enough for Erik to look over “This is going to be fine. Everyone here knows what happened, they wont judge”  
“This is it Charles” Erik stated, sucking in a breath “She’s really gone. Really”  
Charles nodded. He’d only known Hannah for a few years but his heart was sighing too. Then Charles stopped thinking. He rarely did it. But he stopped and let his body control its self. 

Charles surged to his feet, pressing Erik against the couch with just his body. Their lips met, briefly before Charles’s mind kicked in again and he almost pulled away. Erik’s strong hands were around his waist, keeping him there and Charles could feel the tears on his own cheeks now. 

Erik paused for breath, releasing Charles who stumbled back. They looked at each other for a few moments and Erik had a smile on his face, one Charles hadn’t seen since Hannah died. 

Charles smiled back, offering Erik his hand and Erik walked close, growling in his ear “I’m going to be the first person EVER to give a Eulogy while completely hard”   
Charles laughed and whispered, “Just hold your program there and stand with the podium blocking you”

They walked out onto their pews, Erik with his program pressed against his crotch. The crowed watched them solemnly as they took their seats. Erik sat as close as he possibly could to Charles and they watched the choir take the stairs. Charles had booked these people. Erik had no clue who they were but when they started to sing a German lullaby that was very dear to Erik, he started to cry silently. 

“Sleep, Oh babe for red bee hums the silent twilights call” The choir started to sing “Eeval from the gray rock comes to wrap the world in thrawl. Eh languof my child my joy, my love and hearts desire. The cricket sings you lullabuy, beside the dying fire”

The choir continued on but Charles leaned over, noticing Erik mumbling the words under his breath as the music progressed.   
“You know this song?” Charles mused, glancing at Erik’s lips.  
“My mother sang it to me every night. To Hannah too.” Erik replied in a whisper  
“When I looked through Hannah’s facebook page I came across this song. Figured it’d be the perfect song to have them sing”  
“Thank you” Erik’s voice was more sincere than Charles had every heard it

They sat and watched as the choir started up the next song. Erik fiddled with his speech, taking in the words. As the choir reached the chorus, the words fit Hannah completely and he smiled. Charles placed his hand in Erik’s and watched the choir. 

Erik took the steps to the stage slowly, worrying, and thinking but mostly worrying. His speech made a loud noise as he smoothed it on the podium. He looked out at the crowed. He couldn’t pick out any individual faces, except for Raven, who’s blue hair spilled out down her shoulders. Erik looked down, right off the stage and saw Charles. Charles flashed a discreet thumbs up at Erik. Erik started to talk. 

“Thank you all for being here today” He began “Hannah must have meant something to you, as she did to me. Hannah was an extraordinary girl who loved everyone she met. She was a great help to me and my” He paused, wondering if he should change the next word, he decided against it “My friend Charles’s foster home.”  
He continued on talking about how his life was before Hannah came and how he didn’t really remember her not being there. As the speech progressed, he gained confidence and looked down at Charles.   
A sudden wave of emotion hit him at he was forced to stop at “smiling face”, half way through his 4th paragraph. The memories flooded back. Leaving with Charles for England, just as they always did. What if he’d stayed? Would she be alive? Was it his fault? Charles had told him it wasn’t and Charles was never wrong. But there’s a first time for everything.   
Erik looked out at the sea of people. Charles was on his feet, heading up the stairs. Erik’s pause must have been longer than he’d expected.   
“Um” He tried to find his place. Charles’s arms came around Erik’s waist, and he whispered the next sentence into Erik’s ear.

Erik’s whole body was vibrating and Charles became extremely worried. Erik’s voice stuttered to life as he read the next sentence, then paused again. Charles pulled Erik back from the microphone.  
“What’s wrong?”

It took Erik a minute to hear Charles’s question properly. All that was going through his head was, Your fault. All your fault.   
“Nothing” Erik lied, glancing out at the crowd.   
“Say it Erik”  
“It’s my fault” Erik sighed  
“For god’s sakes Erik, we’ve been over this. She got sick. That’s all ok? You were not anything to do with this”

Erik sighed and turned back to his Eulogy. They’d talk about this later.

 

Charles felt like it took forever to get everyone out of the building. There had been food, and stories shared by people who had known Hannah. Erik sat at a table in the corner, chewing on a cinnamon bun and sipping a coffee. Charles’s eyes only stopped watching Erik when people dragged him into their conversations. People just seemed to avoid Erik and spoke to Charles instead. They figured he was the more social of the two of them. Charles wondered if people thought he and Erik were dating. They weren’t yet. In fact it had been almost 2 hours since their kiss and Charles could still taste Erik. And he wanted more.

Erik watched as Charles flittered around to each group of people, entertaining them with his suave and flirty personality. Erik wanted that all to himself. He didn’t care if they never saw daylight again. If Charles was there with him, he was pretty sure he didn’t need anything but food and water for the rest of his life. 

Once the people had cleared out of the room, Charles pulled a chair up to Erik’s table and sat down.  
“Hey” Erik said  
“Hello Mr. Anti-social” Charles said, placing his hand on Erik’s.  
“Forgive me for not being completely happy at my sister’s funeral”   
Charles sighed, “I know you’d rather be anywhere else but here, but it’s over now. Now it’s just you and me. No need to hide”  
Erik stood up, “I’m gonna go for a walk. Can you sign out?”  
“Sure” Charles said, watching Erik grab his coat and walk out of the room. 

Charles spoke with the owner for a few minutes and then went to find Erik. Knowing his friend could be anywhere, Charles headed for the car. He drove around the parking lot until out of the corner of his eye he noticed a figure crouched at a headstone. He parked the car and walked over.

Erik was bent down beside the tombstone, tears running off his face into the ground. Charles approached quietly, wrapping his arms around Erik’s body. Erik sobbed for a while and Charles walked a few yards away. 

When he’d returned, he was clutching a bouquet of flowers, which he handed over to Erik. Erik laid them against the tombstone, whispering words Charles decided not to try to hear. 

Eventually, Erik had calmed down enough to let Charles help him back to the car. It wasn’t until Charles put the car into drive that either of them talked.   
“I know what’s on your mind” Erik accused “I know you want to tell me I’m wrong. I’m not going to listen right now ok?”  
Charles nodded “I understand. Now you need to take your mind off this… How would a date sound? Burgers?”  
Erik smiled faintly “Sounds good”


	3. The Solution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik is depressed and Charles begins to worry... alot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SO SORRY GUYS! I completely forgot this story. I didn't realize I left you hanging. My apologies. Please enjoy.

Charles and Erik went on many more dates after the burgers. It was helping Erik, Charles could see that. But it didn’t fix him. Erik was depressed. There was no other word for it. If something came up at the Foster home, Charles would be the one to go, even if he thought it would help Erik. Helping children started to become less and less of a priority for Charles (as much as he hated to admit it). He would get so upset with himself for helping kids he’d rarely seen when he couldn’t save the person he loved. Helping at the Foster home, became a chore more than an entertaining venture. Charles felt he spent his entire trip to England sick with worry. If he left Erik alone Charles thought he might never seen him again.   
Some nights, Charles would return home from his job to find Erik absent from their apartment. Erik always came home though. Erik would say that he needed to just get away from everything for a while. Charles was almost positive that one day Erik just wouldn’t come home. 

That day was sooner than Charles had expected. He returned home to find Erik sobbing on the floor, a scribbled note with running ink was next to him. Charles dropped his brief case and it hit the floor with a crash. Erik jolted upright, eyes ringed in crimson. Charles wound his hands around Erik’s neck holding him tight.

“Shhh Erik.” Charles said softly “Come sit down”   
Erik followed Charles to the sofa.   
“S-sorry” Erik muttered.  
Charles sat Erik down and then bent to his eye level.   
“Don’t apologize to me darling. Just stay here ok?” Charles flicked on the TV to the comedy show Erik loved.   
He picked up the note, storing it in his jacket pocket without looking at it. Charles cleaned up the ink on the carpet and grabbed the discarded Kleenex from the floor. When Charles returned to the living room, Erik’s spirits were brighter. He chuckled at the TV show and his eyes had a bit more light than normal. He gestured for Charles to take a seat beside him. Charles did as he was asked and Erik slipped an arm around Charles’s shoulders.   
“I love you” Erik said, words clear and crisp but filled with emotion.  
“I love you too” Charles replied kissing Erik’s cheek gently “And I need you”  
Erik looked at Charles. He’d always seen Charles as an independent, caring, and strong individual. Yet Charles always added those words to the end of his ‘‘I love you’s’’. Charles needed him. Erik wouldn’t let him down. He’d decided that a long time ago.

They sat in silence as the show continued. Charles watched Erik, searching his eyes for anything that might give away how he was feeling. But Erik’s eyes remained impartial. They focused solely on the TV screen.   
“I’m not going to kill myself”, Erik blurted out. Charles looked over at him again, shock etched on his own face.   
“I know you’ve been worried about me Charles” Erik continued “And with good reason too. However, I’m not going to leave. I’ll see her in do time. Right now, I’ve got someone who can help ease the pain. And all I’d do is hurt him if I left. So I’m staying right here.”  
“Thank you” Charles managed, his eyes brimming with tears.   
“Anything for you” Erik smiled, brighter than Charles had ever seen and leaned in for a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please like and comment :) Anything helps to improve my writing.


	4. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Letter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with me this whole time. I really appreciate it. Here's the short epilogue.

_Dear Charles, Although it appears I wrote this at my worst time, I see it as my best. Hannah is dead. That’s in my head now. It’s said and done and there’s nothing I can do. It hurts to say that out loud because I’ve always thought if it was in my head it wasn’t true. Speaking such words aloud would give them life, meaning, purpose in the air. I couldn’t allow that to happen. I thought it would tear me apart. But now I have said them and I’m still alive. Yes, I’m sad and possibly even depressed but I’m not suicidal. I know I’ll see Hannah someday but now it’s my time to live on this earth. She enjoyed the life she lived while she was here and even though her’s was cut short, I won’t live the extra life I get in pain. You are a blessing sent straight from heaven. It’s not easy to help me; I can see what it does to you. And I may be a handful and I know that. But you love me. And I wish I could tell you how much I love you too. Words just don’t cover it though. And that may or may not be a problem. You’ve always said you needed me but it was I who needed you. And you came through for me. The thing I liked most about Hannah was that she was always there for me. She saw me for who I was and not the monster I’m made out to be. I’ve always thought she was all I needed in life. I have been corrected. Your love keeps me whole and stable. You see me as Erik Lehnsherr your friend, boyfriend, lover whatever you want to call me. The only thing that matters is that you saw the good in me and kept it there. Ever grateful, Erik Lehnsherr._


End file.
